Where the wind blows
by mahaq921
Summary: Caroline has lost almost everything in her life. With a legal guardian whom she has never met before and a whole new world, Will Caroline be able to keep up with the deceits and betrayals of the privileged and the wealthy?
1. Chapter 1

**AU: Caroline has lost almost everything in her life. With a legal guardian whom she has never met before and a whole new world, will Caroline be able to keep up with the deceits and betrayals of the privileged and the wealthy? (Loosely based on **_**Humsafar**_**, a drama series from my native country)**

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

**Mystic Falls 2013**

Caroline sighed as she folded the last article of laundry. She wiped her hand across her forehead to get rid of arrant locks that had escaped from her topknot. It had been a long day of laundry, cleaning and cooking. She needed to take a break.

Picking up the basket full of laundry Caroline made her way from the basement to the main landing. She sighed again as she placed the basket on the kitchen table and moved to look over the sauce that she had put earlier on the stove.

"Caroline", she heard her mother's raspy voice calling.

"Coming mum"

Turning down the stove so that the sauce doesn't burn Caroline went to her mother's room. She felt a pang of emotions, just like she did every time she entered her room. Liz was plumped on her bed surrounded by a lot of pillows, tissues, ivy linked to her right wrist and a heartbeat monitor beeping in the background. She looked particularly tired today.

"Hey mum, how are you feeling?" Caroline asked lightly.

"I'm fine. Don't you have date night with Tyler today? It is Saturday today isn't it? Liz asked piercing her with her blue eyes, which still held the sparkle of her former self.

Caroline hesitated before speaking, "I had to cancel. Lots to do here" and quickly averted her eyes looking for a distraction and founded it by trying to clean a room which had already been cleaned twice since this morning.

Liz closed her eyes for a few moments. When she opened her eyes she had a very firm look on her face and set her lips into a grim line. "Why would you cancel? How many times have I told you? You don't have to be here all the time. I could have easily asked someone else to do all the chores around here." Liz admonished Caroline with effort.

"Yeah Mum. Like who?" Caroline asked not stopping from walking around the room busily, doing nothing.

Liz heaved a sigh, which send her into a coughing fit. Caroline rushed to her and handed the rotahaler. Caroline thumped her back to help her get her breathing back to normal while Liz used the rotahaler. Caroline felt her eyes moisten as she saw how much pain her mother was in. She placed a light kiss on her mother's head where the once beautiful crown of blonde hair was gone and instead a scarf had taken place. She kept rubbing Liz' back until she fell asleep in a fitful sleep.

Caroline carefully got up and left the room quietly, glancing back to check on her mother one last time before she headed back to her room to complete her homework.

**LONDON 2013**

"It's unimaginable to me."

"What is?" Klaus asked.

"How can you not put sugar in your tea? How does it go down your throat?" Hayley asked laughingly.

"What? I like it the way it is. How can you put sugar in yours?" Klaus inquired over the brim of his cup.

Klaus and Hayley were both seated in a booth at a small café that was just around the corner from the Mikaelson building where they both worked. It had been a long day of overseas conference calls and presentations and both needed to blow off some steam before heading home. Hayley had wanted to go to this new club but Klaus as always was in no mood to be covered in other people's sweat or to listen to blaringly loud music which didn't hold much sense to him. So a café it was.

"No matter how conscious I get of my diet. Sugar in tea and coffee is a must for me." Hayley said.

"Yeah well too much sweetness will give you diabetes." Klaus replied, lounging back in his seat.

Hayley smiled, rolling her eyes, "you have no taste, Nik."

"It's not about taste. It's about being different. I am Niklaus. What do you expect?" Klaus smirked.

"Yeah, well. You are my friend since forever. You had to be special in some way." Haley said with dancing eyes.

"How is it that something about me always ends up being something about you? Klaus asked with an amused look on his face, "something just can't be about me right?"

Hayley laughed and gave him a look for stating the obvious over her coffee and shyly looked away as their eyes met.

**MYSTIC FALLS 2013**

"Caroline? Can you do me a favor?"

"Yeah Mum. What is it?" Caroline asked over the pile of homework she had scattered on the floor of her mother's room.

"I need you to dial a number for me. My diary is in the drawer of the dresser. Can you get it for me?" Liz asked in a scratchy voice, not used to long sentences.

"Sure." Caroline said getting up. Who do you want to call?

"Esther." Liz replied.

Caroline stopped mid step. "It must be really late there, mother. And why do you want to call _her _anyway?"

"Can you not ask question and just do what I asked." Liz said weakly and laid her head back down on the pillows.

Caroline just raised an eyebrow and got the diary. Taking out her phone she dialed the number gave it to Liz' left hand so she wouldn't disturb the ivy attached to her right.

"Sweetie can you get me some tea with a bit of ginger in it?" Liz asked her as the phone rang.

Caroline narrowed her eyes but left the room without asking any further questions.

Liz waited as the phone rang. She had a nervous pit in her stomach. It had been a long time since she had talked to Esther.

"_Hello?"_ a surprised yet calm voice asked on the other end.

"Hello Esther. How are you?" Liz asked in a hoarse voice. She should have had the tea before making the call.

"_Liz? It's been so long. Five, four years? And what's wrong with your voice? "_

"It's been longer. But I don't remember. I don't remember much these days anyway." Liz took a deep breath. It was getting harder to talk." Ess I called you for a reason."

"_I'm listening Liz. You know I'd do anything for you."_

Liz sighed and closed her eyes as a tear slipped away. "Thank you."

Caroline pushed her copy of hamlet inside the locker and looked for her French notes.

"Hey stranger", Elena smiled at Caroline.

Caroline turned to look at Elena and gave her a brief smile in hello before turning back to look for her French notes. Elena leaned against the locker next to Caroline's and observed as she frustratingly rummaged through her locker looking for something. Finally giving up Caroline gave an aggravated sigh and shut the door of her locker with full force creating a loud banging noise. Elena jumped and looked around, people were looking at Caroline.

"Let's go." Elena grabbed Caroline's hand and led her out of the school premises, "I texted Bonnie to meet us at the grill."

Caroline slowed down as they neared the parking lot. A single lone tear made its way down her cheek but she brushed it away. Elena saw her and stopped walking. Turning around she gave Caroline the tightest hug she could muster.

"You can talk to us Care" Elena said softly.

"What's there to say? The one person who is most important to me is slowly withering away in front of my eyes and I can't do anything about it", Caroline said with a straight face but Elena knew better.

"What did my father say on the last visit?" Elena inquired.

"That's the problem. Mum won't tell me anything. Your father won't say anything to me. I'm seventeen years old and very much a part of this. I can handle it. She has to tell me. I don't know what to do anymore", Caroline looked at Elena with tear-filled eyes but she didn't let them fall again, "I'm losing her Elena."

"Hey, don't say that. Do you want me to talk to my dad? " Elena rubbed Caroline's shoulder to soothe her as much as she could.

Caroline pushed her hands away gently, "I know Elena. I see it in her eyes every day. And your dad has been such a help. He sends over a nurse every other day to look after mum while I'm gone. I can't thank him enough." Caroline shook herself, "everything is fine. We'll get through this, I'll get through this. I just really need to take this French class. I'll see you later. Okay?"

Elena started to say but Caroline had already given her a pat on the shoulder and was making her way back into the school. Elena looked at her childhood friend with worry etched on every part of her face.

_Please leave your message at the end of the beep-_

"Hey Tyler, I have to cancel on the study date we had planned today. I need to take mum to the hospital. I'm really sorry. Again"

Caroline ended the call and looked at the time.

"Mum! Hurry up we are going to be late" she hollered coming down the steps from her room. Ever since her mother had been sick they had changed the study on the ground floor which previously belonged to her father, to a somewhat bedroom, so that Liz didn't have to take the stairs anymore. Caroline checked the time again, but Liz was finally coming out. Carrying a rather stuffed overnight bag.

"What's with the bag? Aren't we just going for a simple CT scan?" Caroline asked putting her phone in her jacket's pocket.

Liz straightened her own jacket and walked slowly towards the door. Caroline helped her with the bag and looked at her with questioning eyes. "Mum!"

"They need to admit me. Grayson came over to check while you were out. He says I could get better medical attention at the hospital." Liz wheezed.

"Oh" was all that Caroline could say, "okay."

Liz stretched a hand to stop Caroline so that she could talk to but her breathing suddenly changed and she started to take lungful of breaths. She clutched at her chest and moved her hands to find some sort of balance. Caroline turned around and immediately sprang into action grasping Liz' hands and rested her against her own chest to give some kind of support. She slowly sat them both down on the floor in front of the main door.

Opening the overnight bag, she searched for the rotahaler. Surely it was in it. Finding it she shoved it in Liz' mouth so that she could take the medicine but Liz knew it was of no use. She could feel the blackness around her vision and slowly looked at her beautiful daughter who was looking at her with panicked eyes.

"Mum. What are you doing?" Caroline said in an anguished voice, "you need to take this now."

But Liz with some last strength pushed her hands away which were keen on making her take the medicine and touched her daughter's cheek just like she had for the first time. when her new born baby had been placed in her arms, and caressed it. With dying adoration Liz looked at her daughter for the last time and succumbed to the darkness that had been closing in on her for a very long time.

Caroline shook Liz' body to somehow pour life back into it, as if by shaking it she could restore life but it was of no use. She clutched the lifeless body hard as a sob escaped her throat but never a tear escaped those haunting blue eyes.

**A/N: So this is the first chapter. I hope you all liked it. If you did don't hesitate to tell me so. =) Also I will update the next chapter soon because I have already started writing it. Reviews are much appreciated. **

**Follow me on tumblr? My URL is accola-access.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello beautiful people. Thank you for the follows, favs and reviews. They are much appreciated, who am I kidding I fucking love you guys. Thank you for the support. I wasn't expecting much and you people made my day.**

**I'm sorry if you found any mistakes, this is my first actual fanfic and I don't have a beta (any contenders?). **

**Disclaimer: All these fabulous people are not my creation (duhhh), credit goes to the TVD writers and L.J. Smith.**

**Chapter 2: And it rained.**

Stefan walked up the pathway that led to the Forbes house. He checked his watch; it was eleven in the morning, on the dot. Surely Caroline will be up by now. He knocked on the front door and waited. A few minutes passed and somebody had yet to make an appearance on the door. He knocked again. Harder.

Finally some shuffling could be heard behind the screen and somebody came into view.

Elena pulled open the door and moved in to give Stefan a hug and a light kiss on the cheek as she ushered him in the house.

"I didn't know you were coming over", Elena said in a sleepy voice.

"Here on official business", Stefan stated as he placed his brief case next to the table in the foyer.

Elena frowned, "What official Business?"

"Can't tell you until Caroline is present. Where is she anyway?"

The frown didn't leave Elena's face, "she um just fell asleep a while ago. Was up all night cleaning the house. Can you imagine? I finally had to intervene and made her go sleep."

Stefan gave an understanding smile and tugged at Elena's hand and she fell into his arms with a sob. She hugged him tightly as everything that had happened to her best friend already and that she had gone through made a tangible appearance in her mind. She snuggled closer to Stefan to seek his warmth. He rubbed his hands soothingly around her back and hugged her tighter, kissing the top of her head. When Elena had finally stopped crying she moved out of his embrace and gave him a light kiss on his lips.

"Do you want coffee?" Elena asked as she walked sluggishly towards the kitchen.

"Yeah th-"

"Stefan?"

Caroline came down the stairs without the usual spring in her steps and also made her way towards the kitchen. She was already dressed in her day clothes, wearing a black dress with long boots and a white cardigan. She looked too normal for a person who had lost their mother a night before.

"Caroline do you want coffee too?" Elena asked carefully as she poured some for Stefan.

"Yean"

Stefan eyed Elena who just gave a shrug.

"Care?" Stefan asked.

"Yeah?", Caroline replied without looking up from the bills she was looking through, that were placed on the table from the day before.

Stefan sighed as he realized all he was going to get from Caroline were some monosyllable words. He took his coffee from Elena, "come with me to the lounge, we need to discuss some things", Stefan said as he took a sip from his coffee and motioned for Caroline and Elena to join him in the main room.

As Caroline and Elena settled down, Stefan came back from the front hallway carrying his briefcase. Carline crossed her legs settled back on the sofa holding the cup near to her lips with a faraway look on her face. Stefan took some papers out of his brief case and put it by the side of his armchair. He cleared his throat and looked up at Caroline.

"Caroline," Stefan called; so that she could pay attention to what he was about to say, "This is the last will and testament of Liz Forbes. I'm sorry that I have to do this right now but by the end of it you will know why. I don't want any surprises for you."

Caroline' eyes flicked to Stefan from there aimless wanderings around the house.

"I, Elizabeth Forbes, being in sound state of my rationality and mind, make this my last will and testament. Number 1: All my assets, fixed and liquid will be converted into a trust and will remain under the care of Esther Mikaelson, until Caroline, my daughter, reaches the age of 21. Number 2: Esther Mikaelson is the sole guardian of my daughter Caroline; until she reaches the age of eighteen."

Stefan looked up from the piece of paper that he was holding and looked at Caroline. Her eyes were wide as saucers. Stefan stared at her for a minute and was afraid she might not blink again. Elena looked from Stefan to Caroline her face a vision of confusion and incredulity.

Finally Caroline shook herself and gave a mechanical laugh which made both Stefan and Elena cringe.

"Really funny, Salvatore", Caroline laughed again and started to get up but Stefan motioned for her to sit back down with a serious look on his face.

"Caroline, this", he waved the paper in his hands, "is a very serious matter that I need you to focus on. I talked to Esther this morning as I was directed to by Liz; she is on her way over here."

Caroline shook her head, still amused.

"This can't be true. My mother wouldn't do something like this to me. I barely know the woman. And Liz has never met _Esther_ in my conscious memory so forgive me if I am a bit skeptical about flying off with a phantom person who my mother never had anything to say of."

Stefan exhaled noisily and took out another piece of paper which looked like an envelope from his brief case and quietly handed it to Caroline. She took the envelope and opened the seal with a scoff and took the paper out. With a very dismissive look on her face she scanned the paper. She recognized the writing immediately. It was a letter written by Liz addressed to her:

Caroline,

If you are reading this then I'm really sorry. I never wanted you to find out things the way you did. This is a part of me that I have kept away from you because it never truly mattered to me but its time you knew the truth. Honey, my maiden name is Elizabeth Celeste Hawthorne. I'm not from the states as I have let you to believe, I used to live in Richmond with my parents in England. Esther is the only person that I have told you about from my past perhaps because she is the only one I trust and truly missed.

But if you are reading this letter then that means I'm gone. And I'm so sorry my baby girl, for if it was up to me I would never ever leave you. You are the light of my life and the most special person to me. I'm sorry that I never told you anything in life and what I had planned for you because I know you would have refused but Esther is the only person I trust my baby with. This is why I'm leaving your guardianship to her.

I love you, Caroline. I know I never said it enough but I know that you know it. Parting words? I hate them. All I want for you is to experience some life before you settle for something. Enjoy your life. Meet new people. Get out of that smelly old house and take a vacation. God knows you deserve one after you have spend so much time looking after me. And I wish I was there with you. But remember I am there. Always. In your heart.

Mum.

The letter dropped from Caroline's hands as she clutched at her stomach. A sob escaped her mouth and she put her hand on her mouth to try and cover it but the damn sobs won't stop. Without any knowledge of what she was doing, Caroline stood up from the sofa and stood there for a couple of minutes just trying to digest everything that the letter had contained.

"Caroline?" both Stefan and Elena said at the same time. But she backed away from them and turned towards the main hallway and ran out of the house without a single glance back.

Elena picked up the letter from the floor where Caroline had dropped it and read it, with Stefan reading it over her shoulder. When she was done reading, she looked up at Stefan whose face mirrored the same perplexity on her face.

-/-

Caroline ran towards her car as fast as she could but halfway there she realized she didn't have the keys. Making a one-eighty degree turn she started walking down the street furiously, tugging at her cardigan to bring it closer to her body. She didn't know where she was going but all she wanted to do was walk and get rid of this ill feeling that had settled in her stomach ever since Stefan had started speaking. She had been thinking that it was all a joke or that Liz actually had not been of sound mind when she had written her will but the letter had made everything seem so much more concrete. Will? What a joke. When did she have this will written down? It's absurd.

What was she talking about? Liz was not even from the same country. How could she not know that? How could she not tell her all this before? Why didn't she tell her? What was she afraid of? What was Caroline going to say? No mom you can't be from England. Okay bye see you. How stupid was this anyway.

And then to give my guardianship to someone she hasn't even met in a long time. She knew that Esther lived in England because Liz had told her so herself, but she hadn't mentioned once that she had belonged there too. How can she go live with someone she hadn't even met? She didn't want to leave her life over here. This idea to leave her guardianship to someone across the world seemed stupider to Caroline by the second. She would leave everyone she knew to go live with unknown people. As if. Maybe Liz had gone senile in her last days and as the though popped into her mind Caroline finally for the first time since she had sat with the lifeless body of her mother by the front door, started to cry. And when she did the tears didn't stop from coming. She sat down on the pavement and realized all the walking she thought she had been doing had taken her just to the end of the street. She clutched her head in her hands and started to cry earnestly. All she was aware of was the tears that were streaming down her eyes and the blurry vision that she had because of them. And try as she might the tears were not stopping. They kept on coming but her hiccups and bawling had stopped. The silent tears had a well-worn pathway down her cheeks by now and Caroline didn't have enough energy to brush them away. A single thought was running through her head like a mantra. My mother's dead. My mother's dead. My mother's dead.

-/-

"Do you think we should go after her?" Elena asked worriedly.

"No. she needs to come to term with everything that has happened. If she doesn't come back in ten minutes we'll go check on her." Stefan replied as he rubbed his hand on her shoulder as he sat down on the spot vacated my Caroline next to Elena.

Elena put her head on Stefan's shoulder, "she doesn't deserve this. She has lost too much already. She needs people she knows with her."

"I know."

They both looked up as someone entered from the front door and made their way inside the main lounge. It was Tyler.

Elena stood up furious.

"Where have you been, Tyler? I have been calling you non-stop since last night. Did you hear?"

"Yeah. I got back home a while ago and mom just told me. Where is she?" Tyler replied not meeting Elena's eyes.

"Tyler?"

Caroline stood in the doorway and as Tyler turned around to look at her she rushed to him to wrap him in a hug. Tyler hugged her back and gave a light kiss on her head and soothingly said "I'm here, babe."

-/-

Esther place the flute filled with champagne on the holding stand and drummed her fingers on the armrests. A tear slipped from her eyes and she brushed it slowly away. She had imagined meeting Lizzy again so many times but never in her wildest imaginations had she thought it would be at a funeral. Esther pressed the palm of her hand against her forehead to soothe the terrible headache she had started experiencing ever since Mr. Salvatore had called her. But she had been prepared. Ever since Lizzy had called her, Esther had been prepared. But the thought of losing someone so close even if they hadn't met in two decades or so, was something that wrenched at her fragile heart.

"Mrs. Mikaelson?" Sarah, the flight attendant shook Esther from her reverie by calling her name.

"Yes", Esther replied without looking at her general direction.

"Pilot says we are about to land in Richmond, Virginia in ten minutes. He just wanted me to inform you." The attendant said nervously.

"Okay."

Esther laid her head back and thought of all the times that she had wished to meet Lizzy but never had had the courage to do so.

-/-

Caroline walked slowly up the path that led to the burial space reserved for the Forbes family in the cemetery. She had a black lace dress on with pleated skirt. Elena came to her side and weaved Caroline's fingers with her own and gave her an encouraging smile. Bonnie did the same with her other hand. Caroline gave them both a half smile and the three of them reached the burial site. Tyler and his family were there, Stefan and his father, Damon was god knows where but Caroline hadn't expected him to be here either. the Gilbert's were her too, Jermey gave Caroline a small smile as her eyes crossed his. Matt was here with Vicky and Caroline gave him a watery smile and he smiled in return. Some friends of Liz from work when she used to be the town's Sheriff and a woman with shoulder length blonde hair, piercing light blue eye,s which were scrutinizing Caroline's every moment. When their eyes met, the elder one's eyes softened infinitesimally. Caroline got a clear idea who this woman was and turned her head abruptly away from Esther.

-/-

Caroline placed all the food that people had been bringing in on the serving table in the lounge. The door bell rang and she went to answer it. When she opened the door she could see through the screen who was on the other side. Taking a deep breath she opened the screen and moved away from the door to let her know that she could come inside. Esther slowly made her way inside and took her coat off. Caroline offered to take it from her and Esther gave a small smile in thank you and handed it to Caroline. Caroline placed it in the coat closet not before feeling the softest wool she had ever touched.

Esther walked inside the room and looked at all the people who had attended Lizzy's funeral. She had made a life for herself here. If only her father was here to look at all that she had accomplished which he had thought she never would. Esther felt her eyes watering up and blinked away the tears. She could feel Caroline's eyes on her and knew the girl must be confused by all that was happening. She had talked to Mr. Salvatore after the funeral service in the cemetery and he had told her everything that had transpired the day before when he had read Lizzy's will to Caroline. Obviously Mr. Salvatore is supposed to have an unbiased opinion on the matter but Esther had a feeling that was not the case.

"Do you need anything to drink? Tea? Coffee?" Caroline asked, coming up behind her.

Esther turned around and politely refused. She gave Caroline a smile and touched her cheek with her left hand softly, "you look so much like her." Esther said in a softly accented voice.

Caroline for a second smiled and then moved away from Esther.

"Sorry. I haven't introduced myself properly-"

"I know who you are. At least I can guess." Caroline interrupted.

"Well. Still. My name is Esther Mikaelson. And I guess Mr. Salvatore has informed you of your mother's heritage?

"Heritage? You make it sound like my mother is some princess or something", Caroline laughed wryly.

"Well I wouldn't go as far as to say princess or something but her family was quiet close to royalty." Esther smiled.

Caroline was dumbfounded. Royalty? Who was this woman kidding?

"I'm sorry but did you just say?" Caroline sputtered.

"Deary, you are the surviving heir to the good old Hawthorne family."

**A/N: So I'm sorry because Klaus did not make an appearance in this chapter cause if he had then it would have been a really long chapter and I wanted to update soon. Please don't forget to let me know how you feel about the chapter. Your reviews are my bread and butter. **

**Follow me on tumblr? My URL is accola-access.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello Dearies. First of all sorry for the late update but I had a lot on my plate from my stupid university. Hate it. **

**Secondly, big thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed or faved. You guys make me really happy so THANKYOU.**

**Here is the third chapter I hope you all like it. Don't forget to tell me how you feel about the story. Waiting anxiously.**

**Chapter 3: It's pouring hard.**

Elena nervously looked at Caroline who was clearing the kitchen of all the food that was left over. Last of the guest who had come to pay their respects for Liz had finally left but Elena knew that Esther was still in the lounge. Waiting.

Caroline shook her head while she put some dishes away from the sink; her back was turned away from Elena. Elena quietly came up behind Caroline and hugged her.

"She's waiting for you Caroline." Elena said over her shoulder.

"I know" Caroline replied and turned to face Elena, "but I don't want to go talk to her. I don't want to listen to her insane lies. I don't want to know about my mother's _past". _Caroline put up quotation marks formed by her fingers around the word past. She leaned back against the sink and grunted in a very un-Caroline-like manner.

Elena sighed, "Are you sure about that?"

"I don't know." Caroline replied frustrated. "I don't know anything anymore. Ever since mom was diagnosed with lung cancer, my life has been in a constant turmoil. And now that she's gone and with this stupid will hanging over my head I feel like that that was just the drizzle before the real storm."

Caroline closed her eyes as a tear slipped from her eyes but she quickly brushed it away. She straightened her shoulders, took a deep breath and went out of the kitchen,

Esther was gazing earnestly into the fireplace, where there was no fire as if lost in some memory. When Caroline entered the room she looked up and slowly stood up. Even such a normal movement was so gracefully done that Caroline wanted to roll her eyes.

"It's getting late." Caroline stated politely but with a firm look in her eyes which meant thank you for coming but now please leave.

Esther started to say something but Caroline cut her short.

"Listen I don't care what stories you have to tell me. I don't care if my mother was the queen of England herself. I don't care if she obviously not being in the right state of her mind appointed you as my guardian. I don't care. So this sorry trip you made all the way from _good old England _was a waste. I have no interest in the things that you have to tell me or you in being my guardian. I'll take the load off your chest and say it. You don't have to fulfill my mother wishes. I can take care of myself. Thank you very much, I have been doing so for a quiet a while now."Caroline finished her mini speech and took a much needed lungful of breath.

Esther who had listened to her oration quiet attentively spoke in the same polite voice but with a hard edge to it now. "You are mistaken if you think that I will withstand you speaking to me the way you just did. I loved your mother like a sister and you have no inclination of the feeling that you have when you lose someone who was like a part of your soul. Its true; that we hadn't spoken in a very long time but her absence had done nothing to culminate the feelings that I have for her. So it may not be in your best interest to see it through that her last wishes are ensured but it is in mine."

Caroline looked at her with shock. Could she really be serious?

"I'm staying at the Mystic Falls Country Club. In case you want to reach me."

Esther's eyes softened a bit and she moved forward and placed her palm on Caroline's cheek who was still in shock of how deep the relationship between this woman and her mother- or so she claimed- was and she had no clue of it.

"Like I said dear, I'll make sure that Lizzy's last requests are fulfilled. It's your choice if you want to be a rebel and fight with me a fight you will lose or accept what your mother wanted for you graciously. Good night."

With those words Esther moved out of the lounge, grabbed her coat and went out of the house into the chilly October night leaving a stunned, very much confused and completely drained Caroline back.

* * *

"Hey Stefan", Caroline answered Stefan after days of him phone stalking her.

"Care? I've been calling you non-stop. Where have you been?

"Just trying to catch up on my studies, Grouch." Caroline muttered.

"Look who's talking. Anyway, are you free tomorrow after school?" Stefan asked.

"Yeah. Why?"

"You need to come by my office. We need to discuss some things. Make sure you are here by three o'clock."

"Right. Oh I just remembered I have to meet with Tyler after school tomorrow and-." Caroline tried to weasel her way out but Stefan interrupted her.

"You are being childish Caroline, you realize that right? Tomorrow. Three o'clock. Be there on time." Stefan admonished and hung up.

Caroline exhaled an irritated sigh and snapped her phone shut. She had been avoiding Stefan for over a week now and he had finally gotten to her. She knew what the meeting was about. Esther. The woman was incessant. She had this strange notion that she could convince her to move away with her to England and take over the ambiguous Hawthorne Empire. Who was she kidding? She was only a seventeen year old girl from a small town in Virginia whose most exciting part of the day was picking out a new outfit for school. Caroline shook her head and submerged herself further into the fortress of pillows around her. She knew at some point she had to get of bed. Do normal stuff like brush her hair or teeth for that matter but she literally had no energy or motivation to do so. Elena had been a good friend. She stayed over a couple of nights after the funeral but Caroline asked her politely that she didn't have to spend all her time at Caroline's place. She had tried to argue but Caroline had been adamant and had threatened to kick her out unless she left quietly. Tyler on the other hand was a different story. He had been MIA since the funeral and every time Caroline had tried to call him he had had a different excuse for not being able to attend her call. After being ignored three to four times Caroline had stopped calling, not to come off as needy but what the hell. She really needed him right now and he was missing most of the time.

Maybe I'll confront him at school tomorrow, Caroline thought. If I went to school that is. But she knew she had to face the music at some point and it better be now than later. She was already lagging behind in studies. She had to man-up, so to speak and take charge of what she wanted to do. She had no desire to go with Esther. None at all. What will she do when all her life was here? All her friends. Tyler. And that is what she needed right now. Not to be caught up in Britain's Elite and their lives. Caroline finally found the nerve and harshly removed the covers from her body before she could change her mind.

* * *

"Hey Ty, it's me again. I came to school today and was hoping we could have lunch together later. I really want to talk to you. I miss you. Okay? Please call me back soon as you get this."

Caroline finished her message in a hopeful voice and thought maybe this time he will call her back. She had tried to keep the neediness out of her voice and was confident Tyler wouldn't detect it.

"Look whose back." Caroline heard Elena behind her in a singsong voice. Caroline quickly turned around, away from her locker. Elena pulled her in a hug and Caroline returned it back with genuine feelings this time. She could see Bonnie and Matt making their way towards her and she smiled at them.

"Hey. Has anyone of you seen Tyler today? "Caroline asked them all; maybe they had seen him at school.

"I can't say I have." Bonnie replied smiling, "but I'm sure he's around. I have trig in five; I'll see you at lunch Care?"

"Yeah" Caroline replied distracted because she was concentrating on Matt's face which had darkened considerably when she had taken Tyler's name. "Is everything okay Matt?"

Matt smiled but it didn't quiet reach his eyes and just gave a quick node before excusing himself and muttering something about a class to get to.

"What was that about?" Elena interrupted Caroline's thoughts that had her eyes on Matt's retreating back.

"I have no idea."

* * *

Caroline checked her phone for the hundredth time but there was not even a single text from Tyler. What was wrong with him, Caroline thought. He's been acting really strange.

"Miss Forbes?"

Caroline looked up from her phone at Mr. Saltzman who was looking at her inquiringly.

"As far as I remember students were not allowed to use cell phones in class." He reproached softly.

Caroline's cheeks reddened and muttered a quick sorry and looked down at her spiral.

"I assure you the consequences of the French Revolution are far more interesting than…" Mr. Saltzman's voice trailed off and Caroline offered him a brief smile before looking down on her spiral notebook. Only Alaric would think something like the French Revolution was interesting but Caroline felt a stab of guilt. The whole point of getting out of bed today was to get on with life and studies but she wasn't helping herself much with that. Shaking everything from the front of her mind she tried to concentrate on what Alaric was telling about "the assault on Bastille" but she couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness that she had started experienced ever since she had come to school.

* * *

Caroline parked in front of the only building that provided legal services in town. She had always expected Stefan to move out of this one puny little town after he acquired his degree in Law, with what happened with Damon but she had been surprised when he told her that he will be staying and will be helping his dad, Giuseppe Salvatore with the family business.

Damon being the black sheep of the family had only gone to college to enjoy the drugs, booze and women. Stefan had to take the role of the elder brother and took over the business after Giuseppe had to give up on his daily routine due to his heart attack this past winter. Everyone had expected Damon to show a bit of maturity after the untimely event but Damon being Damon had gone completely off the rocker and moved away to somewhere only Stefan knew. Stefan had been in his last semester at that time had had to take care of everything in town and study on top of that. Caroline had known Stefan since she was a kid and was quiet close to him. She knew he looked at her like a little sister and Caroline herself had found a brother in him after that not so fateful night. _Scratch. No don't even think of it. Don't you dare even go there Caroline. Happy thoughts happy thoughts. Damon. Yes lets bash him. _He was probably shacking up with some new girl with no concern for his poor brother who was alone holding the fort down here. Caroline scoffed, if she had a dollar for every woman who had fallen for the beautiful blue eyes, she'd be rich. Including her. Caroline sighed for probably the millionth time on the concerned topic and let it go at the back of her mind where she had locked it away for the past two summers. There was no point thinking about depressing shit on top of everything else.

She shook from her reverie and looked at the digital clock on the dashboard. Damn she had been sitting here thinking about the past for the last twenty minutes or so. It was 17 minutes past 3. Damn she was late. But what does she care. She was not taking this seriously anyway and she had no intention of going with any of this. She unlocked her door while gathering her handbag from the passenger seat and didn't realize that the door had banged into someone. She quickly looked around and looked at a man standing in a Charcoal grey suit looking at her with reproach in his eyes.

"Oh my god. I am so sorry", Caroline spoke each word separately so that he knew she was really sorry.

The man nodded his head and gave her a small smile but Caroline rushed to apologize again but he interrupted her.

"It's quiet alright." He replied in accented voice and Caroline raised an eyebrow. Another one? Who could this be?

As they made their way towards the main door of the Salvatore & co, they unconsciously fell into step together. Elijah reached the door first and politely held it open for her so that she could enter first; Caroline gave him a smile and went inside. She smiled completely when she laid eyes on Vicky who was on the phone, sitting on the receptionist's desk. She held up a finger so Caroline would wait and Caroline nodded before looking around. That guy with the British accent was behind her and was as if waiting in line. Caroline turned back to look at Vicky who had just finished her call and way eyeing the guy behind Caroline. Caroline rolled her eyes and cleared her throat to get her attention.

"Oh hey, Caroline. You realize you are late right. You had to be here at three." Vicky greeted her as she consulted the calendar for appointments on her desk. "Go right in. He's been waiting for you while I deal with the gentleman behind you." She finished with a smirk.

"Good to see you too, Vicky" Caroline replied as she stifled a giggle and went towards the door behind the large reception desk. She had to give it to Stefan. The guy had style. The place had changed a lot over time. The front room which served as the waiting area and the reception was decorated in soft hues of beige and cream which gave a very soothing effect. The indoor plants and the beautiful painting on opposite walls gave a very worldly effect and not to mention the plush black leather couches. The office really did look wonderful like this.

Caroline smiled as she knocked on the door leading to Stefan's office and popped her head in. He was seated behind the great mahogany desk, which probably has been in his family for generations, and looked up with annoyance on his face as he checked the timepiece oh his desk and gave her a disapproving nod to sit down while he put the phone down as he ended the phone call.

Caroline gave him a sheepish look as she entered his office and looked around. His office had a different look than the room outside. This room had the wall behind his desk and to his left covered from the top to bottom in different books on anything and everything. The opposite wall to that was all glass and looked onto an indoor garden of sorts. It was beautiful with different flowers and shrubs.

Caroline sat down on the seat opposite to Stefan and looked at him expectantly.

"You are late." Stefan said with the same disapproving look.

"Sorry. I got distracted."

"hmph. I wanted to explain everything to you before the Mikaelsons arrived but we have almost no time and they are waiting outside. What we are going to do today is go over the will. Officially. You are allowed to make comments and ask questions but pleased don't be condescending and hear the full thing out. Okay?" Stefan explained with pleading eyes.

"Okay" Caroline replied noncommittally.

"Okay. Good." Stefan reached for his phone and dialed the receptionist's number, "send the Mikaelsons in, Vicky."

Caroline looked around the room, deliberately not making eye contact with Stefan and heard him sigh. She closed her eyes for a second and realized how childish she was being and took a deep breath and gave Stefan a reassuring smile.

There was a knock on the door followed by the arrival of Esther Mikaelson and that unknown guy who she had smacked accidently with her car door. Caroline had a feeling he was the other Mikaelson. Probably the old bat's son. Old bat? She looked spectacular in knee length tapered skirt with a white blouse which peaked from the same color blazer she was wearing as the skirt. She had a string of pearls around her neck which looked great with the sky blue outfit. She had to give it to her. The woman had style. Caroline looked back at Stefan without greeting the new arrivals who motioned for everyone to join him on the black leather couches.

Esther smiled at Stefan and then at Caroline who gave a forced smile in return.

"Caroline, I would like to introduce you to my son. This is my eldest Elijah. Elijah, this is Caroline Forbes. My future ward hopefully."

Caroline widened her eyes at her choice of words, what was this? Some stupid European middle age story. Caroline ignored her words and shook Elijah's hands who was looking at her with a small smile.

"We met outside."

"Yes, I haven't even lawyered my way and you already tried to hurt me." Elijah replied in a teasing voice which made Caroline laugh.

Esther smiled, "Stefan, my son arrived directly here from his long journey I would like things to get under way now. We have a lot to discuss."

"Yes of course, I would like to read the will first with representatives of the both parties present. Elijah, it's good to finally put a face to the voice. I emailed you the copy of the will so that we can go over it quickly" Stefan took some papers from his table and gestured for Caroline to join him on the double sofa while Elijah and Esther settled on the two armchairs opposite the fireplace which was parallel to the entry door.

"Yes I have it with me. It is quite straight forward don't you think?" Elijah spoke as he took some papers out of the black briefcase that he had been carrying. He settled the case on the side of the chair and looked at the pages intently.

Caroline sighed. It was as if they weren't talking about her future but someone else's. Her opinion on the matter was unwanted she felt. She zoned out as Stefan and Elijah read the will together and pointed out the details which she had no concern for because she was not going to England. Pfft. She was gazing out the window at the beautiful garden which had more colors than she could count when she heard her name being called.

"wha-?"

Stefan shook his head at her. Caroline straightened up in her seat and looked at everyone expectantly to explain what she had missed. Elijah spoke up calmly after a few moments of awkward silence, "Miss Forbes, my mother would like to know when you would like to transport all your belongings from here to London?"

Caroline's eyes widened and she looked at Esther," WHAT? How many times do I have to tell you that I don't want to go with you? I don't care about the stupid will. I don't care about the guardianship or about any of it for that matter. The only reason I came here was in respect to you Stefan" Caroline jerked her head towards Stefan but Elijah interrupted her,

"Have you ever considered the possibility that you might not have a choice in the matter? You are still a minor and whatever your guardian wishes for you will happen. So there is no need to create a fuss and we can go along simply with the execution of the will or you can put up fight which I assure you will be futile for you." Elijah finished simply but Caroline was seething by now. She looked at Stefan who looked apologetic which meant that there was nothing he could really do which infuriated Caroline. Wasn't he suppose to be a really good lawyer? What good was that now?

Caroline abruptly stood up with anger flashing in her eyes and something shiny too. Stefan and Elijah both stood up too, with years of good manners behind them.

"What I don't understand is why did we bother with this charade? Why did we bother with this meeting when you all had already decided what my future was going to be like? I'm out of here." Caroline spoke through gritted teeth. She picked her bag up and made way for the door and turned around to look at Esther one last time, "Do whatever you want but don't you dare for a second think that I would leave with you to your Gloryland without putting up a fight."

With that said she didn't give anyone a chance to say anything and went out of the office slamming the door behind her in blind rage.

* * *

Caroline barged through the doors of Mystic Grill and made her way to the bar without looking left or right. She needed a drink and needed it right now. She didn't care if all of Mystic Falls saw her getting drunk. She didn't care.

Caroline slammed her bag on the bar top and signaled for Matt to come her way.

Matt immediately excused himself from the couple that he was serving and reached her side of the bar.

"What can I get you, Care?"

"Give me scotch, neat", Caroline replied.

Matt just raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything and went to get her drink. If somebody needed to let loose it was Caroline. When he came back with the drink he placed it with a flourish in front of her and smiled to lighten the mood, "anything else?"

Caroline looked up at Matt to tell him no but Matt had a particularly nasty scowl on his face as he looked at something across the room. Caroline caught his expression and turned around to look at the source of his discomfort and her eyes landed on Tyler who was standing particularly close to Vicky. What the hell was Vicky doing here? Wasn't she just at Stefan's office?

But all these thoughts went out of Caroline's head as she saw Tyler grab Vicky's hand in a way that meant something more than a simple gesture towards a friend. Caroline's face held confusion and before she could stop herself or Matt could stop her she made her way towards the pool table by which they both were standing. Both of them were so immersed in each other that they didn't realize Caroline had come up behind them.

"…Vicky this can't happen again. You were drunk. I was drunk. It just happened." Tyler was saying but Vicky had interrupted him. "You keep saying that but I know that it meant more Tyler. YOU know that it meant more than just a one-time thing."

Caroline's eyes widened as she realize what Tyler and Vicky were talking about. What? Caroline took a step back and banged into a table for two and the commotion distracted Tyler and Vicky from each other who turned around to look at her and the color from his face completely drained away. At least now we both have the same complexion, Caroline thought. What was she thinking?

She shook her head as Tyler tried to reach for her. Caroline shook her head again when he tried to speak and if looks could kill Vicky would have been dead by now as Caroline looked at her. She glared at her, as if she was some kind of insect and was utterly disgusted by it. Matt came up behind Caroline but she had already turned by now and without a single thought of where she was going, and blinded by tears that she had tried so hard not shed in front of them Caroline made way for the general direction of the main door. She could hear Matt and Tyler calling her from behind but she needed to get out of here as fast as she could. If she had stayed she would have turned into a lunatic in front of everyone. She couldn't understand. Whether to laugh or cry. Laugh at how completely naïve and stupid she was calling Tyler again and again this past week and seeking his attention like a greedy girlfriend while he went behind her back having sex with one of the people Caroline has always cared for, even if in the platonic sense. Or whether to cry on the fact that everything that could possible go wrong on the face of this planet had happened to her. Before the tears could reach her cheeks she smacked full body into a very lean chest at the entrance of the Grill. The hands that caught her before she could fall were soft and rough at the same time as they made contact with the skin on her forearms. She looked up into blue eyes that held genuine concern and then her eyes landed on raspberry lips that spoke in a accented voice, "Are you okay, love?"

Caroline's mind only registered the accent and before she could think she spoke angrily, "gosh, how many of you are there?" in a very angry voice and shook his hands away before bypassing him and going out the grill.

Klaus Mikaelson looked after the beautiful blonde with a look of perplexity on his face which slowly gave way to a small smile. This could be interesting.

**A/N: Don't forget to tell me how you feel about the story.**

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